Filet-o-Mix 12: Songs With Swagger

Download HERE

Tracklist

01 Termanology - So Amazing

02 Fort Minor - In Stereo

03 Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See

04 DMX - Who We Be

05 Jay-Z - Renegade (Ft. Eminem)

06 Nas - Street Dreams

07 Kanye West - Two Words (Ft. Mos Def & Freeway)

08 Clipse - Mr. Me Too (Ft. Pharrell Williams)

09 The Roots - You Got Me (Ft. Erykah Badu & Eve)

10 Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.

11 Fabolous - Damn

12 Mos Def - Ms. Fat Booty

13 Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push

14 Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle (Ft. Mary J. Blige)

15 Blackalicious - Alphabet Aerobics

16 Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

17 Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A G Thang

The concept and the 17 tracks for this new Filet-o-Mix were chosen by my friend Kate who describes the concept behind the mix "Songs With Swagger" below in her own words.

"So my theme with this group is 'swagger'. They are the types of songs that come up on your iPod when you're walking down the street, and immediately cause you to change your stride, walk confidently, bob your head. So much of hip hop revolves around that swagger, that ego and self-assurance, so I thought it deserved a mixtape at the very least."

I think Kate has picked a great bunch of songs here that really bring out the swagger in all of us, yet the term 'swagger' should not be thrown around willy nilly. I encourage you to watch this awesome video interview that I saw 2 years ago (HERE) where one of my favorite hardcore yet conscious rappers Styles P dismissed the overuse of the term swagger as a trend in hip hop (Probably since swagger is one of those things that if you have to tell people you have it, then you probably don't have it). To me, 'swagger' is defined by being so original in style and downright cool that it makes others want to emulate you. These songs embody that 'swagger' in musical form. Sometimes you can just tell those who have swagger from those who don't. For example, Ghostface Killah, who I have selected for this mixtape's artwork (above), defines the term to me. I mean just do a google image search of him and you'll know why immediately.

As always, these tracks were officially approved and arranged by me (Filet of Sole) for your listening and swag inducing pleasure. Be sure to let everyone know you're bumping that good good hip hop wherever you go by bobbing your head to the beat and letting your friends know where you got it (HeadPhoneHome.com). Keep the tunes flowing and hit me up with your mixtape concepts at headphonehome@gmail.com and we'll collab. Now some visuals below of two tracks on the mix to go along with the aural pleasure.

Track 10: Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M.


Track 1: Termanology - So Amazing


Peace.

Sol - Dear Friends Vol. I + II

Download "Dear Friends Vol. II"

Don't let the average looking album artwork fool you, this EP is AWESOME and a must download for the summer! You probably don't know Sol, but you probably should. Probably you'd hear about him in 5 years though because he's only 21 years old and already making some of the most well-polished hip hop coming out of Seattle's underground scene - and that's saying a lot considering there's a laundry list of amazing talent out in the Northwest right now such as Blue Scholars, Macklemore, Grynch, Dyme Def, The Physics, Jake One, Common Market, and many others. This 6 song FreEP came out May 21st and has some pure hip hop to vibe and nod your head to. This is beautiful music that I can only imagine how great it must sound to Sol when he's high as shit. Loving all the classic samples he uses in the chorus on the track below (The bonus track #6 on this EP) with accompanying visuals of the 4 artists in the studio making the song.

Sol - Spliff (Remix) Ft. Grynch, Prometheus Brown, and Thig Natural

And if you like the above...

Download "Dear Friends Vol. I"

You will definitely want to check out Sol's first installment of the "Dear Friends EP" series. This is what turned me onto Sol so you already know it's good music. Enjoy!

Filet-o-Mix 11: Bitches Ain't Shit

Download "Bitches Ain't Shit"

Tracklist

01 Dr Dre - Bitches Ain't Shit (Ft. Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg & Jewell)

02 Outkast - We Luv Deez Hoez (Ft. Backbone & Big Gipp)

03 N.W.A. - Findum, Fuckum, & Flee

04 Jay-Z - Big Pimpin' (Ft. UGK)

05 50 Cent - Get Out The Club

06 Ghostface Killah - Greedy Bitches (Ft. Redman & Shawn Wigs)

07 Dr. Dre - Fuck You (Ft. Devin The Dude & Snoop Dogg)

08 L.O.X. - Brains... (Take 1)

09 Notorious B.I.G. - Big Booty Hoes (Ft. Too Short)

10 Devin The Dude - Would Ya

11 Sporty Thieves - No Pigeons

12 Eminem - Superman

13 Ghostface Killah - Wildflower

14 Too Short - Ain't Nothin' But A Word To Me (Ft. Ice Cube)

15 Big L - No Endz, No Skinz

16 Champagne Champagne - Champagne Loves Your Brain

17 2 Live Crew - Hoochie Mama

18 N.W.A. - A Bitch Iz A Bitch

19 Mobb Deep - Let A Ho Be A Ho

20 Snoop Dogg - Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None) (Ft. Warren G, Nate Dogg & Kurupt)

This Filet-o-Mix entitled "Bitches Ain't Shit" (inspired by my boy Andrew) is about, as you can probably guess, knocking bitches down a few notches (as opposed to bringing ladies up a few notches with the previous mix Empowering 'Em). These songs were picked not based on explicit content, but based on showing you what a bitch is (this is NOT all ladies) and why they should not be respected.

Watch the video for track 11 below by Sporty Thieves entitled "No Pigeons" as a parody and rebuttal to the TLC song "No Scrubs".

Now I know what you're thinking. This mix is a bit sexist, misogynistic, and objectifies women. Why yes that's true. How perceptive of you. But you have to remember, these are not my words. These are the words of the above rappers and this is hip hop music, a creative form of self-expression and a social barometer during the life and times of these artists. If you are offended by this, you should take a good look at our society and ask yourself, what exactly made these rappers write these songs? In many cases, the artists tell you right in their song. So listen in. The Filet-o-Mix series is meant to bring you ALL the themes of hip hop. This theme is just one of its many sides, so don't generalize it to the whole.

P.S. To all the bitches out there, you probably don't know who you are, but if men don't respect you, then you just might be one. And you ain't shit! This mix is dedicated to you.

Signing off,

Filet Of Sole